By Emmanuel Nyatsikor
Adaklu Kpatovoe (V/R), Sept. 16, GNA – Mr Jerry Yao Ameko, Adaklu District Chief Executive (DCE), has warned that the District Security Council (DISEC) will not spare anyone caught using marijuana in the district.
He said reports available to the Assembly indicated that some schoolchildren were involved in the use of the substance, a situation he described as worrying.
“Reports reaching me indicate that even some schoolchildren are deep neck in the use of this substance. So, I am warning them to put a stop to it because if they are caught, we will not spare them,” he said.
Mr Ameko, who is also Chairman of DISEC, issued the warning at the commissioning and handing-over ceremony of a three-classroom block with an office, store and staff common room for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Primary School at Adaklu Kpatovoe.
The facility, funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), is furnished with 40 modern mono desks in each classroom.
Mr Ameko said marijuana use posed serious health risks, including impaired brain development and mental health challenges.
He noted that such mental health challenges could include depression, anxiety, anger, irritability, mood swings, and suicidal tendencies.
The DCE said it was a myth and misconception that marijuana enhanced academic performance or helped users’ study effectively.
He advised the youth, particularly pupils and students, to stay away from the drug, stressing that its use could undermine their academic progress and future aspirations.
Mr Ameko said drug peddlers were increasingly targeting young people and disclosed that DISEC was working tirelessly to identify and apprehend such individuals in the district.
He called on traditional authorities, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to support efforts to eliminate the menace from the district.
The DISEC Chairman also urged the youth to take advantage of the various government programmes and interventions aimed at improving their lives rather than indulging in the use of hard drugs.
Mr Ameko further appealed to parents to invest more in the education of their children, saying the long-term benefits of such investments were substantial.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah